UECNA, which represents communities around many of Europe’s main airports, has said in its response (1) to an EU consultation on drones (2) that late evening and night flying would be unacceptable.
Dominique Lazarski, the President of UECNCA, ‘We are not talking about small toy drones. These are machines which will be carrying freight and passengers. They will create noise for people on the ground. Tough regulations are needed to protect the public.’
Lazarski added, ‘The machines are being sold as a way of relieving traffic congestion in towns and cities. It is nothing more than a sales pitch. The EU’s Green Deal is likely to see more investment in walking, cycling and public transport as well as electric cars. These measures will cut congestion, noise and emissions. It would be ironic if at the very time our streets were becoming quieter, our skies air were becoming noisier.’
The European Commission’s consultation, which askes for views how drones should be regulated, closes on 2nd July. A trial is due to start at Cergy-Pontoise, near Paris, in September.
(1) Contribution to the consultation on the roadmap for drone strategy 2.0 for Europe
